Archive · 6 Aug 2026
Report: US F-1 Student Visas to India, China Plunge Sharply
The United States gives special papers called student visas to people from other countries who want to study there.
Many students from India and China go to America to study.
In 2025, America gave out many fewer of these visas during the busy summer months.
Visas for Indian students dropped by about 60 percent compared with past years.
Visas for Chinese students fell by nearly half.
Students from India and China make up more than half of all foreign students in America.
A group called the Center for Immigration Studies studied the numbers.
The group says fewer foreign students might mean fewer trained workers for American companies.
The group also says that limiting Chinese students in some science classes could help keep the country safe.
The report says most foreign students come to America for good reasons, but not everyone agrees with the group's ideas.
The US issued 22,149 F-1 visas to Indian nationals between May and August 2025, down 60 percent from the 2017-19 and 2021-24 average and 62 percent below the 58,694 issued in 2024.
F-1 visas issued to Chinese nationals fell to 40,034 in the same period, 46 percent below the average of 73,853 and 34 percent lower than the 61,075 issued in 2024.
India (363,019 students) and China (265,919) together accounted for 53 percent of the 1,177,766 international students at US institutions in 2024-25, according to Institute of International Education data.
Indian and Chinese nationals made up nearly 70 percent of the 294,253 OPT participants in 2024-25 and 68 percent of the 165,524 STEM OPT authorisations in 2024.
The Center for Immigration Studies argues the decline could shrink the foreign-graduate workforce via OPT and that limiting Chinese students in sensitive fields could reduce security risks while creating more opportunities for American workers.
- Who
- Indian and Chinese nationals applying for US F-1 student visas; the analysis was produced by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS).
- What
- A sharp decline in US F-1 student visas issued to Indian and Chinese nationals during May-August 2025 compared with previous years.
- When
- May-August 2025, compared with the same period in 2017-19 and 2021-24; 2020 was excluded because pandemic restrictions disrupted visa processing.
- Where
- The United States.
- Why
- The report argues the decline could reduce the pipeline of foreign graduates working through OPT and affect the US labour market, and that limiting Chinese students in sensitive fields could lower national security risks such as technology transfer, espionage and intellectual property theft.
Open Exchange and Labour Market Benefits
National Security and American Workers First
Chinese students in sensitive STEM fields
Open Exchange and Labour Market Benefits
The report acknowledges that not all Chinese students come to the US with harmful intent and that many travel for legitimate educational opportunities, so restrictions should not treat every Chinese student as a security threat.
National Security and American Workers First
Some Chinese students and researchers could face pressure to support Chinese state objectives, so reducing their numbers in sensitive fields could lower risks related to technology transfer, espionage and intellectual property theft.
OPT and the US labour market
Open Exchange and Labour Market Benefits
The visa and enrolment figures alone do not establish how the decline will affect individual employers, universities or American graduates, and fewer foreign students could reduce the OPT pipeline of skilled workers.
National Security and American Workers First
OPT has expanded the pool of foreign workers beyond congressionally established H-1B limits, and reducing reliance on foreign graduates could create more opportunities for American students and workers in competitive sectors.
- Reporting body
- Center for Immigration Studies (CIS)
- F-1 visas to India (May-Aug 2025)
- 22,149 - down 60% vs average; down 62% vs 2024
- F-1 visas to China (May-Aug 2025)
- 40,034 - down 46% vs average; down 34% vs 2024
- Indian students in US (2024-25)
- 363,019
- Chinese students in US (2024-25)
- 265,919
- Total international students in US (2024-25)
- 1,177,766
- OPT participants (2024-25)
- 294,253 - India 143,740; China 61,981
- STEM OPT authorisations (2024)
- 165,524 - India 79,331; China 33,807 (ICE data)
Sources
US F-1 visas issued to Indian, Chinese students declined dramatically in 2025, reveals new report
US Student Visas to Indian, Chinese Nationals Decline Sharply in 2025: Report
US F-1 student visas for Indians plunge 62% in peak season; Chinese visas fall 34%
